[T]here have been 57 previous best-of-seven World Series that reached a Game Six. In the sixth contest*, the trailing [team] has amassed an impressive record of 35-22. Not too shabby. Actually, it was achieved in a very odd manner. The first two dozen such games were split evenly 12-12 between leaders and trailers. The most recent 18 games have been likewise split down the middle, 50% each. However, from 1955 to 1975, 15 World Series reached Game Six - and the trailing team went 14-1 in those games. Only in 1959 did the Series end in the sixth contest. Weird.

[*:Note: for purposes of this research, the tie in the 1912 World Series never happened. Thus Game Eight is considered Game Seven, and so on down the line).]

Anyhow, that's only half the battle. After going 35-22 in Game Six, the survivors went 17-18 in Game Seven. Overall then, teams trailing 3 games to 2 in a best of seven World Series go 17-40 in their quest for the World Championship, so odds are a bit over one-third.

Over the last 24 hours, the bulk of the spotlight has centered on the shoulders of Pedro Martinez, and deservedly so. It is difficult to imagine another athlete who, over the course of his career, has displayed such an intriguing ability to both dominate on the playing field and cultivate his legend off of it.

In my admittedly-young career, Pedro Martinez is the most street smart professional athlete I have covered, and it isn't even close. Just like his pitches, the loquacious righthander is well aware of the impact of each one of his comments, the purpose and plan behind each evident only after your walk back toward the dugout has begun.

If you think Martinez did not know what he was doing when he labelled the Yankees his daddy, when he contemplated drilling the Bambino in his kiester, you are missing the true brilliance that exists inside his mind.

Even now, five years after his legendary daliances with the Yankees as a member of the Red Sox, many media members and fans chuckle as if the joke is on him. ...

At yesterday's press conference at Yankee Stadium, Martinez staged a typical Pedro performance, charming the local and national media who filled rows of plastic chairs in a conference room with his unique blend of humor, philosophy and hyperbole. ...

The media looks at these sessions as can't-miss opportunities to make Pedro be Pedro, to coax the righthander into making his next crazy quote. Two of the first six questions referenced two of his legendary quotes ...

But with deft subtlety, Martinez turned the onus on the questioner, first declining to discuss the Daddy chants with a "I'm not going to answer that question ... And I'm sorry for that," and later unleashing perhaps his most revealing monologue yet.

"In some ways I give that to you guys because it took me a while to realize that anything I say, everything I do has a meaning to you," Martinez told reporters. "I hope that when I need you for the community work and other things that I'm going to need, I'm going to need help to help people, that you guys actually bring the message across because that will give me help for all those things that I have in mind for after I retire."

A quick Google search reveals that no New York or Philadelphia newspapers published Martinez's words that were quoted above. ...

***

"Normally when you die, people tend to actually give you props about the good things. But that's after you die. (Laughter). So I'm hoping to get it before I die. I don't want to die and then hear everybody say, "Oh, there goes one of the best players ever." If you're going to give me props, just give them to me right now."

Andy Pettitte is pitching on three days rest for the first time since 2006. He had a start skipped in September because of a sore shoulder and has pitched on at least one extra day of rest in all but one start since. Pedro Martinez has pitched on an average of 12.3 days rest in his last three starts.

The Yankees are 37-9 at home (including the postseason) since the All-Star break.

It seems emma and her friends were talking about the world series at school. One friend likes the MFY 75%, another said 50%, and another 100%. Emma apparently chimed in with 0% and "go Phillies!" I like that kid.

Now that it's over, just want to thank Allan and the rest of the JOS regulars for a fun season. What I will remember from 2009: mainly those games before the All Star break, when we swept the Yankees three times. I will also remember Youk's walk off HR against the Yankees, Ellsbury's steal of home, that crazy 16-11 game with Tek's grand slam, and wasn't there an early game at Fenway with at least three consecutive HRs? Always great to make the playoffs, hopefully they can patch some holes in the team and come out strong for 2010. Have a great winter everyone. -Jeff in New Mexico